Someone Take Me Away
by SlvrDragon325
Summary: CHAPTER 7 IS NOW UP! A 7 year old girl had a very tough time with her parents and wishes for someone to take her away. She takes a risk and ends up on Captain Shank's boat. Please RR. Thankx!
1. Chapter 1: The Risk of it All

Rio McConnor. Definitely not your average seven-year-old. She was a troublemaker from the start, always getting in trouble with her parents, mostly because of her huge attitude problem. Even for her young age, she never let anyone push her around. She was very independent for her age. Rio always stood up for herself. Because of older kids constantly picking on her, she made her parents let her take up karate.  
  
Rio kept to herself a lot, especially when her parents were home. She never told anyone anything except for a certain young boy named Monkey D. Luffy, who was always cheerful and ready to cheer anyone up who needed to. Rio on the other hand, was cheerful occasionally and was not good with cheering people up.  
  
Rio had her own fashion and she was fine with it. She wore hand me downs from older cousins since she was an only child. Her parents never wanted to buy her new clothes she was just going to grow out of. She had bluish green eyes and brown hair that reached her shoulders.  
  
She had just started first grade and with high markings, I might add. She had only one friend in school. A girl her age named Jenna Caldron. Rio rarely invited Jenna to her house, because of her parents, but instead spent most of her time with her friend.  
  
Rio's parents wouldn't be considered 'parent of the year' material. Her father was a garbage man who usually spent all of his pay on alcohol, coming home drunk occasionally. He rarely spent time with his daughter. Rio's mother was a little more involved with her child's life. Except when she was with her husband, then it seemed as though they had no daughter, which Rio was growing accustom to.  
  
She seemed not to mind in front of her parents and Jenna, but when she was alone, she usually ended up crying herself to sleep at night. She always wished someone would come and take her away from this place.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Rio McConnor, get your ass up right now!" her mother shouted from downstairs.  
  
Rio slowly sat up in bed, dreading to walk down the steps to the kitchen. She scooted off of her bed and jumped down onto the floor. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly walked down the steps to where her mother was sitting. She reached the kitchen and looked around. Something was missing.  
  
"If you're wondering where your father is, the stupid bastard never came home last night." Rio's mother said, lighting a cigarette.  
  
"Where is he?" Rio asked.  
  
"How the hell should I know?"  
  
Rio walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. She picked up the phone dialed a number. "Is Jenna there?"  
  
"Hold on." Jenna's mother said.  
  
"Hello?" Jenna asked.  
  
"Hey." Rio replied.  
  
"Hi Rio. What are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing. Listen, do you think I could come over your house for a little bit?"  
  
"Yeah ok. Do you need a ride?"  
  
"If your mom doesn't mind." Rio said.  
  
"No. I'll be there in a little bit."  
  
"Ok. Thanks Jenna."  
  
"Bye."  
  
The two hung up the phones and Rio walked back through the kitchen up to her room to change. She threw on a pair of jeans with holes in the knees and a t-shirt that was two sizes too big for her. After tying her shoes, she walked back downstairs.  
  
"Where are you going?" her mother asked, stopping Rio.  
  
"Jenna's." Rio replied.  
  
"I don't recall you asking me."  
  
"I didn't think you'd care." Rio added.  
  
"Well, you're not going." Her mother said.  
  
"Yeah I am, mom."  
  
"Rio, I'm your mother and-"  
  
"So start acting like one." Rio said and walked to the front door and outside, shutting the door behind her. She walked to the edge of her yard and sat on the curb to wait for Jenna.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Rio? What's the matter?" Jenna asked. "You don't look good."  
  
"Nothing. I'm fine." She told her friend. "Thanks for coming to get me."  
  
"Hey, you know I always will." She reassured Rio as her mother pulled into Jenna's driveway.  
  
"Rio, I gotta show you the tree house!" Jenna said.  
  
"You mean it's done?" Rio asked, excitedly.  
  
Jenna nodded and took her friends hand, leading her to the backyard to see the recently finished tree house Jenna's father had completed for the two.  
  
Rio's eyes grew bigger as she laid her eyes on the tree house. The two girls ran to it and began to climb to the top. Rio made it to the top first and looked out at the view.  
  
"Wow! You can see so much from up here!" she said.  
  
"So, what do you wanna do?" Jenna asked.  
  
"Let's play pirates!" Rio exclaimed.  
  
The two spent the rest of the afternoon searching for buried treasure and walking the plank. Rio had forgotten all about her problems at home until Jenna's mother called to her. "Rio, I'm gonna take you home now." The two girls jumped down from the tree house and began to walk to the car. Rio was quiet the whole way back to her house.  
  
The car came to a stop in front of her house. Rio opened her door and stepped out of the car. "Thanks Mrs. Caldron." She said.  
  
"Anytime, Rio." She replied.  
  
Rio slowly walked up to the front door of her house and opened it. Jenna's mother pulled away after Rio stepped inside and closed the door. She heard yelling from upstairs.  
  
"Where the hell were you?" she heard her mother shout.  
  
Rio was about to answer when she heard her father.  
  
"I got held up at work!" he shouted back.  
  
Rio quietly crept up to her room, trying not to make any noise.  
  
"You're a damn garbage man! How can you get held up at work?" her mother shouted. "And where's your pay check? Let me guess: at the bar with more than half of it from before? Am I right?"  
  
Rio was walking past her parent's room when she heard a loud smack. Her mother gasped and began crying.  
  
"You don't talk to me that way!" her father shouted back.  
  
Rio ran to her room, locking her door behind her. She sank down against her door as tears silently ran down her face. She sniffled and heard her parents continue to fight, now out in the hallway. Rio covered her ears, trying to block out the yelling. She stood up and walked over to her window, opening it. She climbed out of it and sat down on the roof outside her window. She looked up, watching the stars. She really wanted to go back to Jenna's house, but she couldn't get out of her room. The only way out of here was to jump. She stood up and walked to the edge of the roof. She looked down at the ground, which was a good twenty-five feet down. She braced herself and jumped, making a wish:  
  
"Please, someone take me away from here." 


	2. Chapter 2: The Sky is Falling!

In the port of Fuchsia Village, a ship was docked. On the ship, men stood around, staring up at the boy above them. He stood on the figurehead of the ship, looking down at all of them.  
  
"What're you up to now?" someone shouted to him.  
  
He stayed on the figurehead, knife in hand. "I've had it with you guys! Now you'll have to take me seriously!" He lifted the knife into the air, "This is how tough I am!!"  
  
The men below him stood around, watching him. "Get it over with!" another shouted.  
  
"Whatever it is." Someone added.  
  
The boy braced himself and slammed the knife into his left cheek. The men below gasped as the boy screamed in pain.  
  
"You idiot! What'd you do that for?!"  
  
They were about to run to the boy when a black dot appeared in the sky. They all stopped and looked up at it. Even the boy stopped screaming long enough to look up. His eyes grew bigger as the dot became bigger and closer to him. He tried to move, but the object fell on top of him and he let out a groan.  
  
"Ow." he said, trailing off. He looked up to see the object that fell on him was a person. He looked closer to see the person was a girl about his age. She looked around, then at him. She gasped and jumped off of him quickly.  
  
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" she asked.  
  
"I've been better." He replied as he sat up, knife still in his cheek.  
  
"Um, why is there a knife sticking in your face?" she asked him.  
  
"Don't ask." The boy replied.  
  
One man from below climbed up the figurehead and joined the two. "Are you guys all right?"  
  
They both nodded. "Come on, let's get you to Party's Bar." He said, picking them both up and carrying them off of the boat. He set them both down on the docks.  
  
"Now who are you?" the man asked, looking at the girl.  
  
"My name's Rio McConnor." She replied.  
  
"Well, I'm Captain Shanks." He said, nodding to her. "And this little idiot is Luffy." He added, ruffling Luffy's hair. "Come on, let's get to Party's Bar."  
  
He began walking at the two kids followed him. Rio ran up to walk next to him, "Um, Captain Shanks?" she asked.  
  
He looked down at her, "Yeah?"  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"Fuchsia Village." He replied as they reached Party's Bar. Shanks opened the door and went inside. The rest of Shanks's crew followed them inside not too much later.  
  
Within minutes, everyone was eating and drinking. Rio sat down at the bar next to Shanks and Luffy.  
  
"A toast! To Luffy's.courage!" one man said.  
  
"And to our voyage!" another added.  
  
Rio watched as Shanks put a bandage on Luffy's wound. "It didn't hurt a bit." Luffy said, wincing.  
  
"Liar! That was a foolish thing to do!" Shanks shouted.  
  
"I agree." Rio added.  
  
"At least I'm not afraid of getting hurt! Take me with you on your next voyage! I wanna be a pirate, too!" Luffy said.  
  
"Luffy, why can't you be quiet like her?" Shanks asked, pointing to Rio, who was sitting at the bar, sipping water. "Besides, you can't swim." Shanks added.  
  
"But I'm a strong fighter!" Luffy argued.  
  
"Luffy, Rio could probably beat you up." Shanks replied.  
  
"My punches are as powerful as pistols!"  
  
"Is that so." Shanks said.  
  
"Are you doubting me?" Luffy shouted.  
  
"You're just too young, kid."  
  
Rio looked at Luffy, "Luffy, just give it up. He won't take you so get over it."  
  
Luffy's mouth almost dropped while he almost fell off of his stool. "Give it up? Are you joking me?" he shouted.  
  
In the corner of the bar, Shanks's first mate sat, lighting a cigarette. "Luffy, the captain's just doing what's best for everyone."  
  
"How do you figure?" Luffy asked.  
  
"Being a pirate isn't all fun and games, you know. The captain knows all about the dangers of the sea, too. It can kill you in a thousand ways." The first mate continued.  
  
"Well I don't believe it. Shanks just likes to make me look dumb." Luffy said, pointing to the bar where Shanks was cracking up over a joke.  
  
"I just love making fun of this kid." He said, laughing.  
  
"Maybe the lad's got a point." the first mate said.  
  
Suddenly, the tavern's proprietor, Makino entered the room. "Luffy, would you like something to eat?" she asked him.  
  
"Sure. Just put it on my treasure tab." Luffy said.  
  
Makino turned to Rio; "Would you like anything to eat." she trailed off, not knowing her name.  
  
"Rio. I would, but I don't have any money." Rio replied.  
  
"That's all right. I'll let you slide this time." Makino said, turning to the kitchen.  
  
A few minutes later, Makino returned with two plates of meat for Luffy and Rio, who both ate quickly. Occasionally Luffy tried to steal Rio's food, but all he received was a smack on the head from Shanks.  
  
Shanks turned to Rio, "Rio, how did you fall out of the sky?"  
  
She swallowed a piece of meat and answered, "To tell you the truth, I honestly don't know. The last thing I remember was my parents were fighting and I wanted someone to take me away, then I jumped off of my roof and bam! I landed on Luffy."  
  
"So you're not from around here?" Shanks asked.  
  
Rio shook her head, "I'm from a different world. At least that's what I think."  
  
Luffy turned to her quickly, "Different world? Really? That's so cool!"  
  
Rio was about to answer when the door to the bar flew off of the hinges and landed in to the floor in the bar. "Make way for the scourge of the mountains!" was all that was heard before a group of men walking inside. The tallest man walked inside first. He looked around, laughing, "So you call yourselves pirates? First time I've seen pirates. You look like a sorry lot to me."  
  
Everyone watched as he made his way to the bar. "We're mountain bandits." He told everyone. "My name's Higuma. Just sell us ten barrels of grog and we'll be on our way."  
  
Makino spoke, "I'm sorry, we just ran out of liquor."  
  
Higuma turned and looked around, "That's strange. What're all these pirates drinking?"  
  
"It's true. I just served the last of it." Makino informed the bandit.  
  
Shanks turned to Higuma, "I feel kinda guilty. I guess we drank up all the liquor." He lifted the bottle of grog sitting next to him. "Why don't you have this? It's still un-opened."  
  
Higuma looked at the bottle, picked it up, and slammed it right onto Shanks's head. Rio, Luffy, and Makino stopped and gasped at the scene.  
  
"What do you take me for? What good is one bottle of grog?" Higuma said, looking at Shanks.  
  
Shanks looked down at the ground, "Oh my. What a mess."  
  
"I'm a wanted man. My head's worth 8,000,000 berries. I've killed 56 people. Mostly fools like you." The bandit continued. "Watch yourself if your fond of breathing."  
  
Shanks kneeled down on the floor and began picking up chunks of glass from the bottle. "Sorry about the mess, Makino. Give me a rag and I'll clean it up."  
  
"Uh, don't worry about it." She replied.  
  
Higuma took his sword and ran it across the bar, breaking all of the other bottles as they fell on top of Shanks. "So you like to clean? That ought to keep you busy for a while." He turned and began walking away.  
  
Luffy stood up, ready to say something, but Rio stopped him, standing up on her stool. "Who would want to serve grog to people like you anyway? You just like to make people look bad because that's all you know how to do!"  
  
Higuma turned and walked over to Rio. He squeezed her cheeks in his hand. "I dare you to say that again."  
  
She didn't move, but still kept her glance on the bandit.  
  
"Hey, leave her alone!" Shanks said to Higuma.  
  
"I should kill you right now for what you said, but too many witnesses." He turned and began walking away. "Just keep your remarks to yourself next time, little kid. Farewell."  
  
Makino ran over to Shanks. "Captain, are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine." He replied, exhaling.  
  
Shanks's crew suddenly burst out laughing. "He got you good!" someone shouted to their captain.  
  
Shanks looked at them, and then started laughing as well. Even Makino and Rio smirked.  
  
Luffy stood up furiously. "You think it's funny?"  
  
The bar went silent as everyone looked at him. "He made you look like a weakling! Why didn't you fight him?! Sure, they outnumbered you, and maybe they looked tough but what kind of man lets himself be treated like that then laughs about it? You're a disgrace to pirates!!" Luffy shouted at Shanks.  
  
Shanks sat in silence, looking at Luffy, "When you grow up maybe you'll understand kid. He just got some grog on me. Needless killing doesn't make you a man."  
  
Luffy turned, and stomped off. Shanks grabbed his arm, "Hey, where you going?"  
  
Luffy snorted, "To find a real role model!"  
  
Luffy began walking, but realized he wasn't getting anywhere. He turned to see his body at least fifteen feet away, but his arm was still in Shanks's hand. Men around him spit their drinks out at the sight. Rio fell off her stool and landed next to Shanks.  
  
"What happened to him?" Rio asked.  
  
"His arm's stretching!! Does this mean. did he-" Shanks managed to say.  
  
"He couldn't have!" someone shouted.  
  
"What's wrong with me?!" Luffy shouted.  
  
One of Shanks's crewmembers walked over to an empty chest on a table. "It's not here!" he announced. "The gum-gum fruit we took from that enemy ship!!" he ran over to Luffy and held up a picture. Pointing to it, he asked, "Luffy, you didn't eat that fruit, did you?"  
  
"Yeah. I ate it for dessert. It didn't taste all that great though." Luffy replied.  
  
Shanks grabbed Luffy's shoulders. "That was the gum-gum fruit. It's the fruit of the devil. It's one of the secret treasures of the sea! If you eat it, your entire body becomes like rubber! You'll never be able to swim for the rest of your life!"  
  
Luffy's mouth dropped to the floor. "You idiot!!!!!" Shanks shouted. 


	3. Chapter 3: Hello & Goodbye

*Chapter 3*  
  
Shanks and his pirate crew had been at sea for more than three weeks, leaving Luffy and Rio bored everyday. The two became quick friends, except Rio found Luffy annoying most of the time, she didn't mind hanging around him and vice versa. The two of them were always hanging around Party's Bar, keeping Makino company. When they weren't there, they sat on the docks, waiting for Shanks to return.  
  
The two spent most of their time, sword fighting with sticks and hunting for treasure, which usually was a penny or two. Rio became very much into pirates from hanging around Luffy, that she herself wanted to become one when she was older.  
  
Makino had asked the two to run to town to get some fish for the bar. Luffy and Rio ran off to the fish monger. Luffy knocked on the door. "Hey Mr. Fish monger! Give me some fish!"  
  
The fish monger appeared at the door. "Hey rubber boy! Hello Rio. Why are you in such a good mood lately? The pirates set sail without with you today you know that? And you won't be able to swim for the rest of your life."  
  
"It doesn't matter if I sink like an anchor. Then I'll just be the pirate that never falls overboard." Luffy argued. He grabbed his cheeks and pulled them far apart, "I'm glad I ate the gum-gum devil fruit. Look at what I can do."  
  
"That grosses me out when you do that." Rio commented.  
  
A voice from behind them spoke, "You think being gawked at because you're a freak is a great thing, eh?"  
  
Rio and Luffy turned to see the mayor. "Well this village doesn't need any more idiots, sonny!" he continued.  
  
"Good morning Mr. Mayor!" Luffy and Rio said in unison.  
  
"For the last time Luffy, I won't allow you to become a pirate! Same goes for you, Rio! It'd make the village look bad!! Now the captain's not such a bad fellow, but you stay away from those pirates!"  
  
Rio and Luffy answered him by sticking their tongues out and putting their fingers in their ears. The two gathered the fish and headed back towards Party's Bar.  
  
When they got there, Makino gave them both something to drink as they sat down at the bar. "Thanks guys. Here's something to drink."  
  
"Thanks, Makino." Rio said.  
  
Luffy looked up at his drink with a glum face.  
  
"What's wrong, Luffy?" Makino asked.  
  
"The mayor said we can't become pirates." Luffy said.  
  
"Just because it would make the village look bad." Rio finished.  
  
"Well, the mayor's just worried about you two getting hurt. Being a pirate's not the easiest job in the world. Look at Shanks and his crew for example." Makino said.  
  
Luffy took a sip of his water and set the glass down. "I just don't understand it. What's wrong with going after your dream?"  
  
"Nothing. But the mayor obviously thinks something's wrong with it." Rio said.  
  
"You know, the pirates have been out at sea for a long time." Makino began. "Do you guys miss them?"  
  
Rio nodded, but Luffy shook his head. "After the way those mountain bandits humiliated them? Not at all. I really misjudged those guys. I thought they were really brave and tough. But they're just a bunch of wimps."  
  
"Are you sure about that?" Rio asked.  
  
"Maybe sometimes it takes more courage not to fight." Makino said, drying out a glass.  
  
"You two just wouldn't understand. A real man has to stand up for himself. No matter what." Luffy said.  
  
"Is that right? I guess I don't understand then." Makino said, smiling. She looked at Rio who just shook her head, rolling her eyes.  
  
"That's right. You don't." Luffy replied.  
  
"Make way for the terror of the highlands!" a voice called from outside.  
  
Makino, Luffy, and Rio turned to see the mountain bandits, lead by Higuma make their way into the bar.  
  
"No pirates today? Smells better. We were in the area so we stopped by." Higuma said, opening the door to the bar. He sat down at a table, as did his men. He shouted, pounding on the table, "What're you waiting for? We're customers! Serve us drinks!!!"  
  
******  
  
Makino ran. She ran as fast as she could. She threw open the door to the mayor's house to see him sitting at his table, drinking coffee. "Mayor, we've got a problem!"  
  
"What's wrong Makino?" he asked, looking at her.  
  
"It's Luffy and Rio. and the mountain bandits!" she shouted, out of breath.  
  
******  
  
They stood outside of the bar in the dirt road. "You've got a strange body, boy." Higuma said, kicking Luffy. "Our punches and kicks aren't hurting you at all. Maybe they'll hurt your friend." He said, turning to Rio, who was being held tightly by another bandit. "I've been meaning to get you back for this." He said as he punched her in her stomach.  
  
Rio coughed up blood, but still remained conscious.  
  
"Stop! Don't you hurt her!" Luffy shouted, slowly standing up.  
  
Nearby, villagers hid, watching the scene. "We've got to help Luffy and Rio!" one said.  
  
"Are you crazy? Those mountain bandits would kill us!" another added. "Besides, Luffy's the one that started the fight."  
  
"Damn you! You better take it back!" Luffy shouted, aiming for a punch. "You bastard!!"  
  
Higuma retuned his concentration towards Luffy. "There sure are some weird creatures in this world." He said, grabbing onto Luffy's mouth and throwing him over his shoulder, causing Luffy to bounce a few feet away.  
  
"Damn you!" Luffy shouted, holding his head.  
  
"I've discovered a new life form." Higuma said.  
  
"I'll make you so sorry for this!" Luffy said, ignoring the bandit.  
  
"Maybe I'll sell you to a freak show. I bet they'll pay good money for you.  
  
Higuma continued.  
  
Luffy picked up a stick and charged at Higuma with it.  
  
"You stubborn little brat!" he shouted as he stepped on Luffy's head, pinning him to the ground.  
  
"Luffy!" Rio shouted, trying to get free.  
  
"I was just drinking and talking to my men. I didn't say anything to offend you." Higuma said, looking down at Luffy.  
  
"Yes you did!! You better apologize!!" Luffy shouted, trying to get free of Higuma's boot.  
  
The villagers continued to watch the scene, "Damn that Luffy! Why'd he have to pick a fight with those guys?" someone asked.  
  
"Move your foot! You stinking mountain ape!" Luffy shouted.  
  
"Let the kids go!" someone shouted. "Please!"  
  
Everyone looked up to see the mayor and Makino standing nearby. He bowed down, putting his head on the ground. "I don't know what they did, and I have no intention of fighting you people. But if it's money you want, you'll get it. Just don't hurt the kids."  
  
Rio and Luffy looked at the mayor. "Mayor." they both said.  
  
"Nice try old man. You know how the world works." Higuma said.  
  
"But I'm afraid it's too late. No one can save the brats now. They've done the unpardonable when they attacked me. And called me names. I can't take it from this little rubber spined freak. Or the big mouth girl."  
  
"You started this, bandit!" Rio screamed.'  
  
"You mountain macaque!!" Luffy shouted.  
  
Higuma unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Luffy. "That does it. I'm not gonna sell you. I'm gonna kill you." He pointed his sword at Rio. "They you're next."  
  
"Luffy!" Makino said. "Rio!"  
  
"Please forgive them!" the mayor shouted.  
  
Suddenly, a voice came from behind Makino. "Nobody came to greet us at the harbor. I was wondering what was going on. Oh it's you mountain bandits again."  
  
"Captain Shanks!" Makino said, turning towards him.  
  
"Luffy, I thought your punch was as powerful as a pistol." The captain stated.  
  
"Not now, cap'n!" Luffy shouted.  
  
"You pirates are still here? Taking a break from your cleaning duties?" Higuma asked, looking at Shanks. "I don't know what you want, but you'd better back off before you get hurt. Come any closer and we'll have to kill you. Cowards."  
  
A bandit stepped forward and placed himself next to Shanks. The bandit raised his gun, pointing it at Shank's head. "Didn't you hear him? Don't come any closer. Or I'll blow your head off!!" he said as the bandits began to laugh.  
  
Shanks looked at the bandit, "You know you're putting your life on the line by pointing that at me."  
  
"Huh? What are you talking about?" the bandit asked.  
  
"I'm saying it's not safe to point guns." Shanks, replied, pointing over his shoulder.  
  
Suddenly, a bullet went through the bandit's head as he fell to the ground. Behind him, a crewmember of Shanks stood, gun in hand.  
  
Everyone gasped as the bandit fell to the ground.  
  
"Now you've gone and done it!" one of the bandits shouted.  
  
"That wasn't fair!" another shouted.  
  
"Fair? Stop whining landlubbers! You're not dealing with saints here." Shanks's first mate said.  
  
"We're pirates! And we don't play by the rules!" Shanks said.  
  
"This was none of your business!" one of the bandits shouted.  
  
Shanks stepped forward, "Listen up, you can pour drinks on me, throw food at me, you can even spit on me. I'll just laugh that stuff off. But good reason or not. nobody hurts a friend of mine!!!"  
  
Luffy and Rio looked at him, "Friend?"  
  
"Very intimidating speech!" Higuma shouted, laughing. "You pirates spend your time floating around in your little ships, and you think you can stand up to mountain bandits? Don't make me laugh! Kill them!!" he shouted, pointing at the pirates.  
  
Shanks's first mate stepped forward," Cap'n, I'll handle this." He said, taking a hit from his cigarette. He shoved it into the first bandit's forehead, who fell over, screaming in pain. "Next." he said as the rest of the bandits charged at him. Within minutes, every bandit was on the ground, unconscious. The first mate cocked his gun and pointed it at Higuma. "You were saying something about mountain bandits and pirates? If you wanna fight us, you'd better bring a battleship."  
  
"Wow, he's strong." Rio said, watching the battle.  
  
"But. the brats started it!" Higuma said.  
  
"Doesn't matter. There's a price on your head, isn't there?" Shanks asked.  
  
Higuma suddenly pulled a smoke bomb from his pocket and threw it to the ground. He shouted, "Come here, kid!"  
  
"Hey! Let go!" Luffy shouted.  
  
The smoke cleared and all that remained was a bandit, still holding onto Rio. Shanks pointed his gun at the bandit. "Do you even wanna try and fight?" he asked.  
  
The bandit stood there for a minute before letting go of Rio and taking off towards the woods. Rio ran over to Shanks. "We hafta save Luffy." She said.  
  
"We do. You're staying here with Makino." Shanks said. "I let him escape! We gotta save Luffy!" he shouted.  
  
"Calm down captain. We'll all go out and look for him! We'll find him!" someone said.  
  
Everyone began to search for Luffy. A villager said that he had spotted Higuma taking a boat out to sea with Luffy in it. Shanks immediately dove into the ocean and began searching for Luffy.  
  
Rio snuck aboard a small rowboat and followed him, not wanting to sit this one out.  
  
In the ocean, Higuma stood on a small rowboat as Luffy frantically looked around for someone. "What a brilliant escape plan! Nobody would ever expect a mountain bandit to hide out at sea." He turned to Luffy. "I brought you along as a hostage, but I no longer have use for you. I've already killed fifty-six people who were foolish enough to make me mad, what's one more?" he asked.  
  
Luffy threw a punch at Higuma, but missed. "You die!" he shouted.  
  
Higuma kicked Luffy off of the boat, "Goodbye." He said as Luffy fell into the ocean.  
  
"Bastard!" Luffy shouted as he hit the water. Higuma stood on the boat, laughing as Luffy began to sink, unaware of the giant sea monster that was creeping up behind him.  
  
Higuma, the mountain bandit leader turned around to see the monster staring over him. He screamed as the monster closed its mouth around him and bit down, breaking the boat.  
  
The monster suddenly looked at Luffy, and took off towards him. "Somebody help me!" he shouted as the monster opened its mouth to eat him. The monster bit down just as Luffy was pulled away. "Shanks!"  
  
"Get out of here!" Shanks shouted at the monster.  
  
The monster looked at Shanks, and then swam away.  
  
"Luffy, I'm sorry. Makino told me what happened. You stood up for me." He said, as Luffy began crying. "Hey, stop crying. You're a tough guy, remember?"  
  
"B-but Shanks, what about your arm?!" Luffy shouted, pointing to Shanks's missing left arm.  
  
"It's a small price to pay. Just an arm. I'm just glad you're ok." Shanks said.  
  
"Hey!" they both heard shouting and turned to see Rio rowing the boat over towards them. "Are you guys ok? Oh my god, Shanks, your arm!" she said.  
  
"I'm all right. Really. Anyway, I thought I told you to stay with Makino." Shanks said, making his way over to the boat.  
  
"Like I would actually listen." She replied, helping Luffy into the boat, then the two of them helped Shanks in.  
  
They turned the boat around and began their journey back to the shore.  
  
******  
  
Everyone from the village stood around, watching the crew load supplies onto the ship. Luffy and Rio walked up to Shanks.  
  
"Shanks, we just wanted to say thanks." Rio said.  
  
"So you're not coming back to this village after this voyage?" Luffy asked.  
  
"That's right." Shanks said, looking at his ship. "We've been using this harbor for a long time. Maybe too long. Are you sad?"  
  
Both kids nodded. "Yeah, but I won't ask you to take me with you." Luffy said.  
  
"We've decided to become pirates on our own." Rio added.  
  
"It wouldn't do you two any good. You're still too little." Shanks said, sticking his tongue out. "There's no way you can become pirates!" he added.  
  
"Oh yes we will!" they said together.  
  
"Someday we'll have a ship and crew better than yours!" Luffy said.  
  
"And the biggest hoard of treasure in the world!" Rio added.  
  
"I'm gonna be the king of pirates!!!" Luffy shouted.  
  
"You're gonna be better than us, huh?" Shanks asked. "Well then, do me a favor." He asked, taking his hat off and putting it on Luffy's head. "Keep this hat safe for me, ok? This hat means a lot to me. Promise that you'll give that back to me someday. When you've become a great pirate!" he said as he began to walk away.  
  
Luffy's head stayed down, trying to hide his flow of tears that wouldn't stop.  
  
"Rio!" Shanks shouted.  
  
She looked up to see a long object flying at her. She held out her arms and caught it. She took off the cover to see a sword. "Wow! Thanks Shanks!!" she shouted, waving.  
  
"Those kids are gonna make something of themselves." Shanks's first mate said as he walked to the ship with his captain.  
  
"They act just like I did when I was a kid." Shanks said, laughing as the anchor rose on their ship and it sailed off into the horizon. 


	4. Chapter 4: Shocking News

*Chapter 4*  
  
Even though Shanks had left, Luffy and Rio continued their dreams to be pirates. Even five years after Shanks's departing, the two still played sword fighting and buried treasure.  
  
Most of the day, Rio spent her time practicing sword fighting, which she was getting very good at.  
  
Luffy on the other hand, spent most of his time daydreaming about the future.  
  
Rio McConnor, almost twelve now, raised her sword Shanks had given her five years ago and charged at the dummy she had made herself, attacking it.  
  
Monkey D. Luffy, now twelve was lying on a hill overlooking the ocean. He sat up and looked over at his friend. "Hey Rio?"  
  
She stopped and looked at him. "Yeah?"  
  
"Do you miss your home at all?" he asked.  
  
She stood there and thought for a minute, "No."  
  
"What made you want to leave so bad? If you don't mind me asking." He asked.  
  
She sighed and walked over to him and sat down, looking out at the horizon. "My parents weren't the greatest in the world. They hardly ever paid attention to me and if they did, it was because they were yelling at me." She looked over at him. "What about your parents?"  
  
He shrugged, "Never knew 'em."  
  
The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes until the sun began to set, creating an amazing combination of pink, orange, and purple amongst the sky.  
  
"I'm gonna go practice some more." Rio said, standing up. Luffy watched as she walked over to her practicing area. He sat up more as he saw her stop, then fall over. He stood up to see Rio rolling back down the hill. He ran over to her and caught her.  
  
"Rio? Are you ok?" he asked her.  
  
"Luffy, I don't feel so good." She said before she lost consciousness.  
  
He picked her up and ran back towards the village. He threw open the door to Party's Bar and ran inside.  
  
"Makino! You in here?" he shouted.  
  
"Luffy, what's all the yelling about?" Makino asked, walking in from the kitchen. "Rio? What's the matter with her?"  
  
"I don't know. She was walking up to where she practices fighting, then she just fell. I caught her and she told me she didn't feel too good. Then she lost consciousness." Luffy replied.  
  
"Let's get her in the back." Makino said, leading Luffy into the back room of the bar. He laid Rio down on a table as Makino searched for a blanket. She found one and covered the girl up.  
  
"I have to go and start serving dinner to customers. Stay here with her incase she wakes up." Makino said, walking out into the bar.  
  
Luffy pulled a barrel over next to Rio and sat down, looking at his friend. He lost track of time, but the room became dark as he watched the sun completely set through the window in the room. He was suddenly starting to doze off. His head kept drooping until finally, he couldn't hold his head up any longer and fell asleep.  
  
******  
  
Luffy suddenly woke up and looked out the window. The sun was shining through. He sat up and looked at the table to see nothing there except a messy blanket as if someone pulled it down and got up. He looked on the table to see a note. He picked it up and read it:  
  
Luffy,  
  
I know why what happened did happen  
yesterday. If you want to know, come to  
our spot on the hill. I'll be waiting.  
  
-Rio  
  
He put the note back down on the table and ran up to their spot where they were the day before. Luffy reached it, out of breath. He doubled over putting his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. When he stood up, he was Rio standing there on the edge of the hill, watching the sunrise higher in the sky. She turned and looked at him.  
  
"Hey." She said.  
  
"Hi." He replied.  
  
"Obviously you got my note." She stated.  
  
"Yeah. Now, what did you want to tell me?" he asked her.  
  
"I think I know why I lost consciousness yesterday." She began. Luffy stepped closer, waiting for her answer. "It means I have to go back to my world."  
  
Luffy stopped walking, "What? Why do you have to go back?"  
  
"Luffy, if I knew, I would tell you. But I don't." Rio said, leaning on her sword. "I just wish I didn't have to leave." She said, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Luffy put his arm around his friend, the girl who had fallen from the sky and landed on top of him five years ago. "Hey, it'll be ok." He told her.  
  
"I hope so." She said as they began to walk back towards Fuchsia Village.  
  
"One question." Luffy began. "How do you plan on getting home?"  
  
"The same way I got here. Jump off a roof." Rio replied.  
  
"How about Party's Bar?" he asked her.  
  
"Might as well try." She said.  
  
The two walked in silence as they continued to Party's Bar. They reached it fifteen minutes later and went inside.  
  
Makino came out from the kitchen. "Rio, I'm glad to see you up. Are you feeling better?"  
  
Rio nodded. "Makino, I've come to say goodbye." She said.  
  
"What are you saying?" she asked.  
  
"The reason that I lost consciousness yesterday was because I have to go back to my world." Rio said.  
  
"Rio, are you sure?" Makino asked.  
  
Rio nodded. "Um, do you mind if I jump off your roof?" she asked.  
  
"Uh, no go ahead." Makino replied, leading her to the roof.  
  
Makino, Rio, and Luffy walked up two flights of stairs and reached the roof. Rio walked out to the edge and looked down. She then turned to see her two friends staring back at her. They all stood in silence, waiting for someone to say something.  
  
"Rio, are you sure you have to go?" Luffy asked.  
  
Rio nodded. "I'm positive." She said as she walked over to Makino and gave her a hug.  
  
"Take care Rio." She said as she walked back downstairs.  
  
"Sorry I won't be able to come with you when you start your journey."  
  
"I understand." He said. "Here. I made this is for you." He said, handing her a stuffed bear he had made himself.  
  
"Luffy, thank you." She said, taking the stuffed bear from him. "Well, if we're doing a gift exchange, then I want you to have this." Rio said, taking off her necklace and handing it to him.  
  
"Rio, I can't-"  
  
"You'll take it and shut up." She said, smiling.  
  
Luffy cracked a smile. "I'm gonna miss you, Rio."  
  
"Same here." She replied. "Well, I better get going." She said as she walked to the edge of the roof.  
  
"Rio!" Luffy shouted before she stepped off.  
  
She turned quickly, "What?"  
  
"What about your sword?" Luffy asked her.  
  
"Keep it." She said, turning back towards the ground. "I'll come back for it someday."  
  
"I'm holding you to that." Luffy said.  
  
"Fine." Rio replied as she looked back at her friend for the last time. She took in a deep breath, and then looking forward, stepped off of the roof and fell to the ground.  
  
There was a bright light, then all was dark. Rio opened her eyes to see she was sitting on the roof of her house, still clutching the stuffed bear as a tear silently rolled down her cheek. 


	5. Chapter 5: Real Life Again

*Chapter 5*  
  
The sudden disappearance and reappearance of Rio McConnor had shocked many people in her neighborhood. She was shocked that her parents were actually worried about her and were happy that she was home. Her parents continued to ask her where she had been for the past five years; and even though she told them Fuchsia Village, they never believed her.  
  
Rio's parents gave her their undivided attention for over a month after she returned. But, after two months, her parents drifted further and further away from Rio until they were acting just as they were when she was seven.  
  
She spent most of her time in her room, or hanging with Jenna, who was more than happy to have Rio back.  
  
"Rio, if you don't mind me asking: where exactly were you?" Jenna asked, one night Rio slept over her house.  
  
"Jenna, I told you a thousand times, I was somehow transported to another world and ended up in a town called Fuchsia Village. The people there lived in a world of pirates and everyone was so nice." She then remembered the encounter with Higuma. "Well, almost everyone."  
  
"Rio, do you need to see a psychiatrist?" Jenna asked her friend.  
  
"You don't believe me do you? That's ok. No one believes me. They think I need to be sent to a psycho hospital." Rio replied.  
  
"Hey it's ok. I believe you." Jenna insured.  
  
"Thanks." Rio said.  
  
******  
  
Years past and Rio still waited until the day she could return to Fuchsia Village. Unfortunately, even after four years of waiting, the time still never came.  
  
Now, being almost seventeen, Rio spent all of her time in her room, writing. She also picked up the guitar a few years ago. Her and Jenna decided to start their own band and after a lot of begging, Jenna finally agreed on the band name: Party's Bar.  
  
Since no one believed Rio about her travels to Fuchsia Village, she decided to carry a camera with her everywhere she went, just in case she was transported there again. In doing so, she became very interested in photography. Even though she wasn't in Fuchsia Village anymore, she still showed an interest in pirates, buying books or whatnot whenever she noticed them in stores.  
  
Rio played her guitar, while singing in a school talent show and won. Luckily, a producer by the name of Serj Martin, only twenty-one, was in the audience and found her after the show.  
  
"Hey that was great." He said, walking over to her.  
  
"Thanks." She replied, packing her guitar into its case.  
  
"You think you wanna audition to be a star?" he asked.  
  
She turned and looked at him, "Are you serious?"  
  
He nodded and handed her a business card. "Think about it and give me a call." He said, walking away.  
  
Rio looked at the card, then at Serj, walking away. She smiled, "Hey!"  
  
He turned and looked at her.  
  
"I don't need to think about it. I know I wanna do this."  
  
******  
  
After her audition, the judges told Rio that she was excellent and that she was the next big thing. She was so happy, that for a few days, she couldn't think about anything else except stardom. Even the thoughts of Fuchsia Village left her mind. She was told that she would be starting on a CD the next month. Rio returned to her home, excited to tell her parents, who really didn't show their appreciation for her.  
  
It was already two in the morning that Rio was sitting in her room, writing in her journal:  
  
I really don't have much to say except I'm tired of living here. My parents fight at least four times a day. Why don't they just get a divorce already? I'm really excited about starting my CD next month! I can't wait to tell Jenna. I looked at my calendar and I was so shocked to see that it was four years today that I returned from Fuchsia Village. Where has the time gone? Recently, I've begun to realize that the time spent there has been disappearing from my memory, in which I have decided to keep a journal of everything that happened there. After four years, Luffy must have started his journey to become a pirate. I think about him constantly and still hold the bear he made me so long ago. I always wonder how he is and what he is doing. I also miss Makino a lot and Shanks. They were all my family during my time there and I'll never forget them. I remember telling Luffy that I would be back for my sword, but I never knew how long I would have to wait. I just wish that I –  
  
"You need to learn to respect me! Now shut the hell up and leave me alone!" was all that Rio heard, followed by a slamming door. She ran to her bedroom window to see her father walking down the steps of her house and getting in his car. He started it up and drove away.  
  
A few minutes later, Rio walked out of her room to find her mother. She crept down the hallway to her parent's room. "Mom?" she whispered. There was no answer. Rio opened her parent's door. The door creaked as she pushed it open. She turned on the light, but suddenly wished that she hadn't.  
  
On the floor, her mother lay silent. Blood flowed freely from her wrists. Rio stood there. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She couldn't do anything but stare. She began to breath heavily as she screamed and ran to her room. She cried hysterically as she grabbed her backpack and threw her journal, CD Walkman, her CD's, Luffy's bear and her camera into it. She then threw her shoes on and grabbed her guitar and ran down the steps and out her front door.  
  
Still crying, she ran to the street and began to run to Jenna's house. "Why does life have to be like this?!" she shouted, not caring if anyone heard her.  
  
She hadn't been running for more than five minutes when the sky clouded and rain fell from the gray clouds. After a few minutes, the rain fell harder and faster until Rio could barely see where she was going.  
  
She continued to walk until she made it to town. "She lives too far for walking." Rio said, drying her eyes and stopping under an awning outside of a store. She sat down on the sidewalk and placed her guitar and backpack down on either side of her. She sat for at least fifteen minutes then stood up and picked her guitar and backpack. She turned and looked in the window of the store she had sat outside, then shouldered her pack and put her guitar between her pack and her back. Rio looked away, then quickly looked back in the window. On display in the window was a sign that read, 'One Piece: New Episodes Now Available!!' and underneath the caption was a picture of young Luffy and Shanks standing on a dock with Shanks's ship in the background.  
  
Rio darted into the store and ran to the One Piece section. She picked up the first video she saw and stared at it, flipping it over. "What the hell is going on?" she asked herself out loud. "Why are Luffy and Shanks in this story?"  
  
Suddenly, there was a bright light and Rio felt herself falling. Then her surrounding went dark as she lost consciousness. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The sky was blue and white puffy clouds floated everywhere. Below the sky, in the middle of the perfectly blue ocean, a small rowboat floated quietly. Inside the rowboat were a boy wearing a straw hat, a barrel, and a sword strapped to his back.

Monkey D. Luffy sat leaning up against the barrel in his tiny rowboat, enjoying his travels. "The weather's so nice! Who'd have thought that this voyage would end in disaster so soon?" He looked forward again at the giant whirlpool that his boat was slowly making its way towards. "Hard to believe that I'm getting sucked into this giant whirlpool. Maybe I was a little careless."

He looked around in every direction, "I could use some help, but there's nobody around." He turned back to the whirlpool. "Oh well. Can't be helped. Down I go. Too bad I can't swim." He added, sighing.

He thought for a second, then laughed at his own stupidity, "Ha! What was I thinking? In a giant whirlpool, it doesn't matter if you can swim or not. I'd dworn even if I could swim!"

Luffy looked around one last time before his rowboat and perfect day were sucked into the menacing whirlpool.

Not far away, on an uncharted island, a ship sat docked along the coast. "Why is there dust on my bulwark?" their captain asked, running her finger along the deck.

A crewmember started yelling, "A thousand pardons Lady Alvida! I-I thought I'd cleaned every inch of this ship! I'll clean everything all over again! Please-"

"Please what?" Alvida asked.

"Please not the iron mace! I don't wanna die!" the crewmember shouted, right before his head was smashed with the iron club.

Lady Alvida turned to her cabin boy. "Koby! Who is the fairest thoughtout all the seas?"

Koby, her little cabin boy stuttered, "Heh heh, why you are Lady Alvida. No one compares to you."

"Correct! Which is why I will not tolerate anything dirty! The ship I sail on must be as clean and beautiful as I am, understand?" She stepped closer to him. "Remember Koby, were it not for your vast knowledge of the seas, I would feed you to the sharks! But don't push your luck!"

"Y-yes that's very kind of you." Koby said, dropping to his knees in fear.

Alvida continued, "Other than that you're worthless! Here, shine my shoes!" she said, shoving her shoe in Koby's face.

"Y-yes Lady Alvida! Right away!"

"I don't want to see even one speck of dust on this ship!" She shouted. Lady Alvida was not the beautiful and clean person she was speaking about. She was packing a good three to four hundred pounds under her uniform. The only thing scary about her was her iron mace she always carried with her.

"Aye aye!" her crew shouted, beginning to clean for their lives, literally.

She looked down at Koby, still shining her shoes. "That's enough. You're pathetic!" she shouted, kicking him in his face.

"Heh heh. Sorry." Koby said, cowering.

"If you've got time to grovel, then you've got time to scrub the toilet." Alvida said, walking away.

"Yes Milady! Right away..." he said, trailing off and biting his lip to prevent his tears.

Koby came back from the other side of the island rather quickly. He had been checking up on something, just in case that day ever came, but he had no intention of getting caught. On the way back towards Alvida's ship, he noticed a lump in the trees.

Stepping closer, he noticed that it was a girl. He ran over to her. "Hey, you ok?" he asked. When he got no responce, he grabbed her shoulders and began shaking her."Please be ok!" he said, still shaking her. He heard her groan, then stopped shaking her.

She opened her eyes and sat up slowly, holding her head. "What happened?" she asked, looking around. She looked at Koby. "Where am I?"

"This island is the hideout of Iron Mace Alvida, the lady pirate." Koby replied, blushing a bit. The girl in front of him was quite pretty. She had bluish-green eyes and brown hair that reached her shoulders.

"Pirate? You mean I'm back?" she asked excitedly.

"Uh, sure." he replied. "I'm Koby." he said, extending his hand.

She shook his hand. "Rio." She stood up and looked around. She noticed something in the distance and walked towards it. "What's that?"

Koby followed her and noticed the object as well, "It's a barrel."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." she replied.

Koby began walking towards it. "I better take it back to the crew."

"You want some help?" Rio asked.

"No. If the crew sees you, they'll go nuts."

"Like I care." She said, and helped him push the barrel to his crew.

After about ten minutes, they reached a small building with three pirates standing in it. Koby looked at Rio. "Wait here."

"Fine." she said, sighing and sat down in front of a tree.

Koby pushed the barrel towards the pirates. One noticed him. "What's that Koby? Did a barrel of rum wash up on the beach?"

"Yeah and it's not empty! I wasn't sure what to do with it." Koby replied.

"Well I know what to do with it! Let's drink it all up!" Another pirate commented.

The first pirate turned to him, "But if the captain finds out, she'll have our heads."

"She'll never find out." The other said. "We're the only ones here. Just Koby and the three of us know about this."

"I guess you're right." The first pirate replied.

The third pirate turned on Koby, raising his fist. "And you ain't seen nothing, right Koby?"

Koby backed against the wall, cowering. "Right! I-I ain't seen nothing. Heh heh. Please don't hit me..."

"Leave him alone!" Rio shouted and began walking towards the building.

"Who are you?" the first pirate shouted.

"No one special. But you better not hurt Koby!" she replied.

"Koby, you better tell your girlfriend to back off." the third pirate said, walking towards her. "How would you like to join us for some rum?" he asked, grabbing her arm.

"How would you like to get out of my face?" she replied.

Just as the pirate raised his hand to hit her, the barrel they had brought back suddenly broke open and Luffy jumped out with a great yawn. "That was a great nap!" he shouted. "Looks like I survived somehow. I got so dizzy, I thought I was gonna barf." he added, and started laughing.

Everyone in the room stared at him in shock. "Who are you guys?" Luffy asked.

"Who the hell are you?" the pirates asked. "What are you doing here?"

All of the sudden, an iron mace came pummeling through the wall and into the buildling. "Back to work, you scury dogs!" Alvida shouted.

The barrel, with Luffy still in it went spinning out of the building and deep into the forest. Koby looked at the pirates, then quickly ran after him.

"You lazy swabbies! Who's the fairest thoughout all the seas?" Alvida asked, looming over her crew.

"Lady Alvida, of course you are!" they replied.

"And you dare to defy me?" she asked, getting in the second pirate's face.

He cowered. "What? Never! Not in a million-"

"Don't play dumb with me! I could hear you talking all the way from the ship! Which one had 'such a great nap'!" Alvida condinued.

The third pirate gasped, remembering what Luffy had said when he jumped from the barrel. "Uh, captain we have an intruder. That good for nothing Koby brought that strange feller here!"

Alvida turned to them, "What? Could he be a bounty hunter? After the price on my head? Koby! You traitorous little runt!"

"But the only bounty hunter bold enough to come here..." one of the pirates said.

"That's ridiculous! The Navy has locked him up!" the other cut him off.

"But if he's as clever if they say... he might've escaped." Alvida said. "And they say that the infamous Roronoa Zoro is that clever!"

Luffy's barrel rolled around slightly still from the attack from the iron mace. Koby stood over him. "Um... are you ok? Are you hurt? After getting knocked around so much you must be-"

Luffy started laughing. "I'm fine. Just a little suprised is all. My name's Luffy. Where am I?"

"This island is the hideout of Lady Alvida of the iron mace. I'm Koby. Her cabin boy."

"I see." Luffy said, climbing out of the barrel. "Well, none of that really matters to me." He stood up, looking around, "Wasn't there someone else with you?"

Koby looked around for Rio. "Oh, that's right."

All of a sudden, Rio came running up to them.

"Where were you?" Koby asked.

"I wanted, to see, that Alvida, lady." she said, putting her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. "She looks like this." Rio stated, puffing her cheeks out and holding her arms out to show a lot of extra weight. She looked up at Luffy, who was laughing and staring back at her. She looked him over, but her eyes stopped on the sword strapped on his back. "Who are you?"

"I'm Luffy." he replied.

His words replayed in her head and she froze. She immediatly dove on Luffy, knocking him to the ground. "I thought I'd never see you again!" she shouted.

Luffy looked on in confusion. "Who are you?"

She stood up and looked at him. "You don't remember?" After he shook his head, she added, "It's me. Rio."

It took a few seconds for the lightbulb to turn on in Luffy's head, but as soon as it did, he dove on her and knocked her to the ground, laughing. "I can't believe you're back! It took you long enough to get here."

"Hey, I got here as soon as I could!" she exclaimed, laughing as well.

Koby just stood there, feeling like the fifth wheel. Luffy and Rio both looked at him and stood up. "Sorry Koby. Me and Rio were really good friends when we were younger." Luffy stated.

"Until I had to go back to my world." Rio finished.

Koby just stared at the both of them, not sure what to say.

Luffy turned to the boy, "By the way, you wouldn't happen to have a dinghy, would you? Mine got sucked into a giant whirlpool."

"You got sucked into a whirlpool!" Koby exclaimed.

"Luffy, you're still just as clumsy as ever." Rio said, folding her arms. "You're lucky to be alive."

"If you want a dinghy, I have one. Sort of." Koby said, as he led them deep into the jungle in the middle of the island. After about ten minutes, they stopped at a box looking object made of wood. Luffy and Rio just stood there in silence.

"What's this?" Luffy asked.

Rio looked at Koby, "A coffin?"

"I built it myself. It took me two years." Koby explained.

"Two years? And you don't want it?" Luffy asked.

Koby rested his hands on one side of the boat. "I really don't need it anymore. I built it to escape from this place. But I don't have the courage to try it. I guess it's my fate to be a cabin boy for the rest of my life. But I once had a different dream."

Rio turned her head to the side, "Why don't you just escape?"

Koby frantically shook his head back and forth. "No way! Just thinking about what Alvida would do to me if she caught me makes my bladder weak. I just can't risk it. I'll never forget that fateful day... I just wanted to go fishing. And I boarded a pirate ship by mistake. That was two years ago. In exchange for my life, I've been working as their cabin boy."

Luffy chimed in, "You're kinda clumsy and dumb! And you're gutless too. You really are worthless!" he said and started laughing.

Rio smacked him on the back of his head, "That was a bit uncalled for."

"You don't have to be that frank." Koby said. "But you're right. I don't have the guts to float around at sea in a barrel like you." he looked at Luffy, "Why did you go to sea, anyway?"

Luffy put a huge grin on his face and stated, "Well ya see, I'm gonna be the King of Pirates!"

Koby's jaw dropped. "King of the pirates! But... you'd have to make the whole world kneel to you! Wealth, fame, power, you'd have to achieve it all! Don't tell me you're after Gold Roger's lost treasure, One Piece! Do you want to die? Every pirate in the world is after that!"

"And so am I." Luffy replied, calmly.

Koby looked over at Rio, as if to back him up, but she just stood there with her arms crossed, as if to say, 'There's no point talking to him about it.'

Koby looked back at Luffy, "But the odds against you are astronomincal! It's impossible! You want to be the king of pirates in the golden age of piracy! It'll never happen!"

He was suddenly cut off by Luffy punching him in his forehead and knocking him over. "Hey! Why'd you hit me!"

"You were hysterical." Luffy said.

"Thank you." Rio said, sighing and holding her head.

"Okay, I'm used to it." Koby said, sitting up.

Luffy took off his hat and smacked the dirt out of it. "I'm not afraid to die, Koby. I've set myself to become the king of pirates. And if I die trying, then at least I tried!"

Koby just stared at Luffy.

"Wow, Luffy, you really grew up." Rio said, smiling.

"What guts, what determination! You're not even afraid to die?" Koby stated.

"And I believe I'll succeed too. Or am I just deluding myself?" Luffy asked himself aloud.

"I never looked at it like that before." Koby said, his eyes welling up. "Maybe I can be like that! If I'm willing to risk my life..."

Luffy looked at Rio and she shrugged to him. "What're you talking about?" she asked.

"Maybe it's possible. Do you think I can join the Navy?" Koby asked.

"The Navy?" Luffy asked.

"We'll end up being enemies, but I want to join the Navy and fight the bad guys. It's been my dream since I was a little kid! Do you guys think I can do it!" Koby shouted.

"How would we know?" Luffy replied.

Koby completely ignored him and continued, "Well I'm gonna do it! What've I got to lose? I don't want to be a miserable cabin boy my whole life! Better to risk my life trying to achieve my dream! I'll join the Navy, and then I'll capture Alvida!"

"Who are you gonna capture, runt!" a voice shouted as an iron mace came crashing down on Koby's dinghy.

"My boat!" he cried.

"You little sneak!" Alvida shouted. "Did you really think you could escape from me!"

Rio leaned over to Luffy, "I told you she looked like that." she said to him as Luffy giggled.

"Is that the bounty hunter you hired? He certaintly isn't Roronoa Zoro. So I'll give you one chance to repent." Alvida said, pointing her mace at Koby. "Who is the fairest thoughtout all the seas? Answer me!"

"Definitly not you!" Rio shouted back.

Alvida's crew and Koby all gasped. No one, especially a puny girl like Rio would never be so stubborn to insult Lady Alvida like that.

Koby chuckled nervously. "Lady Alvida, you-"

Luffy pointed to Alvida. "Hey, who's the tough looking old biddy?"

"Luffy take it back!" Koby shouted, grabbing Luffy's shoulders. "Thoughout all the seas, Lady Alvida is, is..." The cabin boy began. His mind suddenly jumped back to when Luffy was talking about becoming the king of pirates. And if he died, he'd die trying.

Koby looked up, "Lady Alvida is, the ugliest old hag of all!" he shouted. But he suddenly cowerd as Alvida loomed over him.

Luffy and Rio were laughing hysterically while Alvida shouted. "You little!"

"I said it and I won't take it back! No more cringing for me! From now on I'll fight for my dreams!" Koby shouted.

Luffy jumped in front of Koby and Rio. "Good for you Koby."

Alvida raised her mace. "It makes no difference to me, you're all going to die!" she shouted as she slamed her mace down on Luffy's head.

Koby gasped and Rio put her hands over her mouth to hide her gasp.

A huge grin crept onto his face. "That didn't hurt, 'cause I'm made of rubber."

"Impossible! No one survives the iron mace!" Alvida shouted.

Luffy pulled his arm back and stretched it. "Gum gum... pistol!" he said as his fist conatacted with Alvida's face, sending her flat on her back and knocking her out cold.

Her crew stared in amazement. "His arm stretched like rubber. He beat Lady Alvida. He's not human!" they all said.

Luffy pointed to them. "Get Koby a dinghy. He's gonna join the Navy."

The crew all stared at him, then said, "Yessir."

He looked at Koby, who was now crying. "Luffy..."

Luffy looked at Rio, whose face was still a bit white. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing. I just kinda forgot you're made of rubber." she said, grinning. "And if you're done with it, can I have my sword back?" she added, pointing to his back.

"Oh yeah sure." Luffy replied, unhooking the strap and handing the sword to his friend, who hooked it to her back. "You remember how to use it?"

"Let's hope. If not I'll be watching you fight the whole time. And where's the fun in that?" she asked, looking at him and smiling.

Within a few minutes, Luffy, Rio, and Koby were in a row boat sailing towards a new destination.

"You must have eaten the fruit of the gum gum tree." Koby stated. "Incredible! But Luffy, if you're going after One Piece, that means you'll have to enter the 'Grand Line'" he added. "They call it the pirates' graveyard."

Luffy looked back at him. "That's why I'm assembling a super crew. That guy imprisoned at the Navy base, what's his name?"

"Roronoa Zoro." Koby replied.

"Luffy, if you're thinking what I know you're thinking..." Rio began.

"If he's a good guy, I'll let him join my crew." Luffy said, smirking.

Koby shouted, "Now you're talking crazy again! Never never never! That'll never happen! That guy's a demonic beast!"

"Do you think you could actually speak without shouting next time!" Rio shouted at the ex-cabin boy, while holding her head.

Koby was silent for the rest of the trip.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Rio McConnor sat leaning up against the side of the rowboat she had been sharing with Luffy and Koby for almost a week now. Her hand was in the water, making little trails of waves behind her. She had to admit, she was bored out of her mind.

Luffy spoke, still on the subject on Roronoa Zoro. "A demonic beast, huh?"

"Roronoa Zoro is his real name." Koby replied, calmly. "But they call him 'Zoro the pirate hunter'. He's like a blood thirsty hound roaming the seas hunting men for the bounties on their heads." He saw Luffy consider this, then added, "Luffy, he's a pirate hunter! Pirate hunters don't mix well with pirates!"

"I haven't decided whether I'll invite him to join my crew or not. If he's a good guy, then I'll -"

"He's in prison because he's not a good guy!" Koby shouted.

Rio rolled her eyes and lay her head back on the side of the rowboat. She looked up to see land. "Finally." she said aloud.

Within ten minutes, the three had docked the boat and stepped onto the land. "We're finally here! We made it to the naval base town!" Luffy shouted. He turned to Koby, who was tying the boat to the dock. "Koby you're amazing! You actually got us to our destination!"

Koby shook his head, "Of course I did! That's the minimum requirement for people who sail the seas."

"He's right. If we don't find a navigator, we'll just spend our lives floating around the ocean." Rio said.

"Yeah! That's what we'll do. Now, let's eat!" Luffy shouted, obviously ignoring his friends.

The three entered a nearby restaurant and sat down. About fifteen minutes after ordering their food, they recived it. Of course, Luffy was the first to finish and tried picking seconds off of Rio and Koby's plates.

He leaned back in his seat when everyone had finished. "Well Koby, I guess this is where we go our seperate ways."

"I hope you join the Navy and become a great sailor!" Rio added, smiling.

Koby wiped his eyes, "T-thank you guys! And I hope you become great pirates!"

"Hey!" Luffy said. "I just remembered. That guy is supposed to be imprisoned here. Roronoa Zoro -"

He was cut off by the other people in the restaurant quickly getting up, turning over their tables. The three friends looked to see the other customers cowering against the adjacent wall.

Rio leaned over to Luffy and whispered, "Maybe you shouldn't say that name out loud around here."

Koby spoke up, changing the subject. "I saw a poster that said Captain Morgan was at this base."

The three looked up to see the customers cowering against the wall again. They shook it off and paid their bill.

While leaving the restaurant, Luffy began laughing. "What a great restaurant! I want to go back there!"

"Everyone is so jumpy! I'm getting a bad feeling about this." Rio said, looking around and grabbing her sword handle.

"I agree. I can understand why they get nervous when they hear Roronoa Zoro's name. But why did they get nervous hearing the captain's name?" Koby wondered aloud.

"Who knows? Maybe they just carried away." Luffy stated.

"Why would that happen?" Rio asked, raising her eyebrow.

They all stopped talking as they came to the entrance to the Naval base. "It looks so big up close." Luffy said. He gave Koby a shove. "Go on in, Koby."

"But I haven't mentally prepared myself yet. And those people were scared when they heard the captain's name." he replied.

Rio looked up to see Luffy climbing the wall. "Luffy, what are you doing?"

"I wonder if I can see the demonic beast from here." he replied, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"You won't find him just by peeking over the wall. He's probably deep within the bowels of the prison." Koby said.

Luffy took off. "Oh yeah. There's someone over there!"

Rio took off after him. "I wanna see! Maybe it's Zoro!"

The three climbed the wall further down and looked down into the field. Koby suddenly jumped off of the wall and began shaking.

"What's wrong?" Rio asked.

"A b-black bandana and a haramaki sash!!! It's really him! That's Roronoa Zoro!!!" Koby shouted. "He looks so menacing!"

"So that's him?" Luffy asked. "I could just untie those ropes and set him free."

Rio spoke up. "Luffy, that's suicide!"

"Hey you!"

The three looked to see Zoro calling to them. "Come over here and untie me. I've been here for nine days and I can't take it anymore." he said, looking up at them.

"H-he's talking to us!" Koby shuddered.

"I'll make it worth your while." Zoro continued. "I'll capture someone with a big price on their head and give all the bounty to you. You can trust me. I'm a man of my word."

Koby looked over at Luffy. "Don't to it! As soon as you untie him, he'll kill us and get away! I just know it!"

"He won't kill us. I wouldn't let him." Luffy said.

Rio was about to speak when she was cut off by a ladder appearing next to her. She looked to see a young girl climb up and shush them. She climbed down into the field.

"Hey! Don't go down there! It's dangerous!" Koby shouted. "Guys, do something! She'll be killed!"

"Why don't you do something about it?" Rio asked.

The girl walked over to Zoro and held something up to him. "I made these riceballs for you. I thought you might need some food. It's the first time I ever made riceballs. I hope you like them."

Zoro looked down at her. "I'm not hungry! Now beat it and take that stuff with you! So get outta here or I'll stomp you to death!"

A door at the end of the field suddenly opened. Three men entered and began walking over to Zoro. "Roronoa Zoro, you shouldn't pick on little girls! I'll tell my father on you!" the man in front shouted.

"Who's that weirdo?" Rio asked.

"He must be some high ranking Naval officer. Now that little girl will be safe." Koby replied.

The "high ranking Naval officer" was known as Helmeppo, Captain Morgan's son. He was tall and skinny. His outfit was adorned with leapord print and his hair was blond and looked like a frisbee that had a bite taken out of it.

Helmeppo made his way over to Zoro. "Well if it isn't the idiot son living off of daddy's wealth." Zoro muttered.

"Did you just call me an idiot?" Helmeppo asked. He turned to the little girl and took a riceball. "Did you bring those for me? How thoughtful!"

"Hey give it back!" she shouted.

He quickly gagged and spat it out. "Disgusting! It's sweet! Riceballs are supposed to be seasoned with salt, not sugar!"

"But I like sweets, so I figured sugar would be better." the girl replied.

Helmeppo knocked them out of her hands and began to stomp them into the ground. "These are completely inedible!"

"Please stop! You're ruining them!" she shouted.

"How evil... That little girl worked really hard to make those riceballs." Koby said silently.

Luffy looked over at Rio who was getting ready to climb over to the wall. He assumed to punch the guy in the face. He grabbed her arm and shook his head, knowing that her attitude got her in trouble in the past with the mountain bandits.

Helmeppo laughed at the girl. "Don't worry. I'm sure the ants will find them delicious!"

The little girl began to cry. "Why! I worked so hard to make them!"

"Oh stop that crying! That's why I hate kids." Helmeppo said holding his head. "It's your own fault. Can't you read this sign? It says, "Anyone aiding this prisoner shall be found guilty of the crimes he has committed. - Captain Morgan." he knelt down to the girl. "I'm sure you've heard ho scary my father can be. If you were an adult, you would be put to death!" He turned to an officer behind him. "You there! Throw the brat over the fence." The man began to object. Helmeppo turned and grabbed his shirt, "I'm ordering you to throw that brat over the fence! I'll tell daddy on you!"

Within seconds, the little girl was sent through the air and over the wall. Luffy jumped back and caught her. They both landed on the ground. Rio and Koby jumped down and comforted her. "Are you okay?" Rio asked.

"What a bad man!" Koby added.

Rio looked at Luffy who looked back at the wall. They both climbed back up to see Helmeppo talking to Zoro.

"My aren't you a stubborn one!" he said to Zoro.

"That's right. I'm gonna last out the entire month! You just keep your end of the bargain."

Helmeppo turned and began walking away. "I won't dream of breaking my word. If you survive here for a month, then I'll let you go." he said as he and the officers walked out of the feild, closing the door.

Zoro looked up to see Luffy standing in front of him. Rio was just arriving, looking around with a nervous look on her face. Her eyes met his and she quickly looked away, but he continued to watch her for another second.

"You still here? Better not let Helmeppo's father catch you." he warned.

"Look, I'm looking for good men to join my pirate crew." Luffy stated.

"Pirate crew? You think I'd lower myself to that level? No thanks." Zoro replied.

"But becoming a pirate's my dream. What's wrong with that?"

"You think if you untie me, I'm gonna join your pirate crew?"

"I haven't decided if I'll ask you yet. You've got a pretty bad reputation, you know?"

"I don't need your help. I can get out of here on my own. All I have to do is last for a month here then I'm a free man. Captain Morgan's idiot son promised me."

"I see. I don't think I could last one week without food." Luffy said smiling.

"Me and you are different. I've got more will power. So go look for crew elsewhere."

Luffy sighed. "Fine. But I'll be back soon." He said and took off towards the wall, leaving Rio behind.

"He will be back you know." Rio said, turning.

"Hey wait. Pick that up for me." Zoro said to her.

She turned and saw that he was motioning for the smashed riceballs. Rio picked the dirt infested food up. "You're not going to eat this are you? It's more a dirtball now than anything."

"Just shut up and feed it to me! And don't miss one grain of rice."

"Ok, keep your bandana on." Rio said, feeding it to him. Zoro began to cough. "I told you it was mostly dirt. You wanna kill youself?" she asked, folding her arms.

"Tell the kid I said it was delicious. Tell her I ate it all."

Rio smiled. "I will."

A few minutes later, she had joined back up with Koby and Luffy. They were talking with the girl, who's name was Rika. "Thanks for leaving me Luffy!"

"Sorry. What took you so long?"

"I was talking to Zoro. Oh, Rika, Zoro ate all of your riceballs and said they were delicious."

"Really?" she asked. "I'm so glad."

"Could that guy really be as bad as everyone says?" Koby wondered.

Rika turned on him, "He's not a bad guy! He got throwed in prison because of me. Captain Morgan's son had a bunch of mean dogs! They attacked me and Roronoa Zoro saved me!"

"That's why Zoro is in prison? Because he hurt that guy's dog to save you?" Luffy asked.

Rika nooded.

"That makes sense. Zoro's really scary, but he only goes after people with prices on their heads. And he wouldn't get thrown in prison for that." Koby said.

Rika spoke, "Captain Morgan and his son are the bad ones! They put people to death for no reason at all! Everyone's afraid of them."

Their conversation was cut when they heard a voice, "You're not bowing your heads low enough, scum! I'll tell my father on all of you!"

They all turned to see Helmeppo walking down the street while the villagers lined either side with their heads inches from the ground. "Do you want to be jailed like Roronoa Zoro? We're going to hold a public execution for him in three days!"

Rio put her hand to her mouth and gasped. She stood up, "But you made a promise to him." she said, ignoring the gasps from the villagers.

"Where did you hear that?" Helmeppo asked. "That promise was just a joke! He's a stupid beast for believing it."

Rio felt someone brush past her. By the time she looked forward, Luffy's fist had already contacted with Helmeppo's face. His hat went flying from his head. Rika ran up to follow, but Rio grabbed her arm, stopping her.

Koby ran up and grabbed the pirate. "Luffy! Stop! Calm down! Do you want to make an enemy of the Navy?"

"I've made my decision! I'm going to ask Zoro to join the crew!" Luffy shouted.


End file.
